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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Countless lives were touched by the kindness and joy |
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of Carl Benjamin Montgomery of Dallas, who died on April 17, 2007; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Born on August 27, 1919, in Sevierville, Tennessee, |
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he grew up in North Texas and became known as "Catfish," which he |
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adopted as part of his legal name later in life; as a youth, he took |
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on a variety of jobs such as shining shoes and delivering papers and |
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milk to earn money; at Carrollton High School, he was president of |
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the student body, was captain of the football, basketball, and |
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baseball teams, and was named Outstanding Athlete of the Year in |
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1938; he earned a football scholarship to attend Southern Methodist |
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University but transferred to North Texas Agricultural and |
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Mechanical College and then North Texas State Teachers College, |
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where he ultimately earned his degree; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1942, Mr. Montgomery joined the U.S. Naval Air |
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Corps and worked in physical rehabilitation; after completing his |
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military service, he was selected as chief of recreation for the VA |
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Hospital in McKinney; switching careers in 1953, he launched |
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Montgomery Chemical, Janitorial Supplies and Janitorial Services; |
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he later opened Carl's House of Furniture and Appliances, and he |
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became a well-known figure in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch area |
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through his work and his many civic activities; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to improving the lives of youth, Catfish |
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Montgomery served as a Boy Scout troop leader and was a member of |
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the board of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD in the 1960s; he was |
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the leader of the Shriners' Burn Awareness program for many years, |
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providing burn-prevention safety information to countless North |
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Texas children, and for this service was honored by mayors and |
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governors; he also received the prestigious Eagle Award from the |
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University of North Texas for his efforts to reduce high school |
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dropout rates; and |
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WHEREAS, In his leisure time, Catfish Montgomery was involved |
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in many social and service organizations; he was a charter member of |
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the John L. DeGrazier Masonic Lodge, which honored him with the |
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60-year pin and the Golden Trowel Award; a member of the Hella |
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Temple, he devoted thousands of hours to many of their activities, |
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including the Hella Shrine Circus; in 1960, he became a founding |
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member of the Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch, and over |
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the years he was honored as one of the organization's Paul Harris |
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Fellows and was named Man of the Year in 2004; and |
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WHEREAS, Catfish Montgomery was also prominent in sports and |
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religious activities; he was a member of the Southwest Football |
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Officials Association for more than 25 years, and he officiated |
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high school and college games throughout North Texas; he also |
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served as honorary chairman of the Tom Landry Golf Tournament that |
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benefited the Fellowship of Christian Athletes; active in several |
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different churches, he was Sunday school president at University |
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Park United Methodist Church, chairman of the board at the First |
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Methodist Church of Carrollton, and three-time lay leader of the |
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First Methodist Church of McKinney; and |
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WHEREAS, Held in the highest regard by all who knew him, |
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Catfish Montgomery will long be remembered for his good humor, his |
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boisterous nature, and his unconditional generosity, and he built a |
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life that was notably rich in family, friends, and accomplishments; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Carl Benjamin |
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"Catfish" Montgomery and offer condolences to the members of his |
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family: to his wife of 63 years, Kathryn Ann "Kay" Baker Montgomery; |
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to his sons, Baker Montgomery and his wife, Mary, and Bill |
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Montgomery and his wife, Susan; to his eight grandchildren, Jeff, |
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Ben, Joan, Ann, Tim, Monty, Porter, and Baker; to his 17 |
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great-grandchildren; and to his other relatives and many friends; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Carl |
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Benjamin "Catfish" Montgomery. |
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Solomons |
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Jackson |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1864 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 18, 2007. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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